_Sir_ EDWARD BROMLEY _Knight, one of his Maiesties
Iustices of Assize at Lancaster: as hereafter followeth._
viz.
_Iennet Bierley._
_Ellen Bierley._
_Iane Southworth._
Thus haue we for a time left the Graund Witches of the Forrest of
Pendle, to the good consideration of a verie sufficient Iury of worthy
Gentlemen of their Co[=u]trey. We are now come to the famous Witches
of Salmesbury, as the Countrey called them, who by such a subtill
practise and conspiracie of a Seminarie Priest,[K3_b_1] or, as the
best in this Honorable Assembly thinke, a Iesuite, whereof this
Countie of Lancaster hath good store,[K3_b_2] who by reason of the
generall entertainement they find, and great maintenance they haue,
resort hither, being farre from the Eye of Iustice, and therefore,
_Procul a fulmine_; are now brought to the Barre, to receiue their
Triall, and such a young witnesse prepared and instructed to giue
Euidence against them, that it must be the Act of GOD that must be the
means to discouer their Practises and Murthers, and by an infant: but
how and in what sort Almightie GOD deliuered them from the stroake of
Death, when the Axe was layd to the Tree, and made frustrate the
practise of this bloudie Butcher, it shall appeare vnto you vpon their
Arraignement and Triall, whereunto they are now come.
Master _Thomas Couel_, who hath the charge of the prisoners in the
Castle at Lancaster, was commaunded to bring forth the said
_Jennet Bierley_,
_Ellen Bierley_,
_Jane Southworth_,
to the Barre to receiue their Triall.
Indictment.
The said _Iennet Bierley_, _Ellen Bierley_, and _Iane Southworth_
of Salmesbury, in the Countie of Lancaster, being indicted, for that
they and euery of them felloniously had practised, exercised, and vsed
diuerse deuillish and wicked Arts, called _Witchcrafts_,
_Inchauntments_, _Charmes_, and _Sorceries_, in and vpon one _Grace
Sowerbuts_: so that by meanes thereof her bodie wasted and consumed,
_Contra formam Statuti &c. Et Contra Pacem dicti Domini Regis Coronam
& dignitatem &c._
To this Indictment vpon their Arraignement, they pleaded
_Not-Guiltie_; and for the Triall of their liues put themselues vpon
GOD and their Countrey.
Whereupon Master Sheriffe of the Countie of Lancaster, by direction of
the Court, made returne of a very sufficient Iurie to passe betweene
the Kings Maiestie and them, vpon their liues and deaths, with such
others as follow in order.
The Prisoners being now at the Barre vpon their Triall, _Grace
Sowerbutts_, the daughter of _Thomas Sowerbutts_, about the age of
foureteene yeares, was produced to giue Euidence for the Kings
Maiestie against them: who standing vp, she was commaunded to point
out the Prisoners, which shee did, and said as followeth, _viz_
* * * * *
_The Examination and Euidence of_
GRACE SOWERBVTTS, _daughter of_ THOMAS
SOWERBVTTS, _of Salmesbury, in the Countie of
Lancaster Husband-man, vpon her Oath_,